Research Strategy of the Department for the 2020-2025 Period

1. Research Policy Framework

The research policy of the Department of Social and Educational Policy has developed over its fifteen-year history into various fields of Social Policy and Education Policy. The primary goal is to promote scientific knowledge through research, interdisciplinarity, and the development of international and national collaborations. 

In this direction, the Department has developed, especially in recent years, significant research activity, which covers a broad range of topics and research areas in Social and Education Policy.

Support for the Department's research activities is achieved primarily through the established Laboratory of Social and Education Policy Studies and established research units, such as:

• Unit for Analysis, Design, and Implementation of Education Programs
• Unit for Methodology, Policies & Practices of Training
• E-Learning Group. 

Additionally, the Department Assembly has approved the establishment of the Laboratory for the Evaluation of Public Health Policies and Health Technologies.

In its research activities, the Department has established collaborations with an extensive network of universities, research centers, and other public and private organizations, both in Greece and abroad. It collaborates with distinguished scientists while offering opportunities for cooperation with young, promising researchers.

2. Fields of Research Activity

The Department's research work is characterized by interdisciplinarity and pluralism, the creation of links between teaching and research, and the highlighting of the interface between Social and Educational Policy, as reflected in the Curriculum.

The Department's research activity is demonstrated through the research output of its faculty members and scientific collaborators, as reflected in:

• Publications in international scientific journals, volumes, and peer-reviewed conferences.
• The implementation of competitive research and development projects funded by European and national resources.
• Parallel scientific-research activities and synergies with other academic institutions and social organizations.

The Department’s research policy focuses on the following scientific-research fields, depending on the case:

• Social Policy (historical, institutional, political, anthropological approaches -national, supranational, comparative perspectives).
• Social Policies (poverty, inequality, social discrimination, employment, labor relations, migration).
• Organization, administration, and evaluation of health policies and services.
• Educational policies for school education and evaluation, higher education, and lifelong learning.
• Education design (Curricula, educational materials, digital technologies in education).
• E-learning and Distance Education.
• Professional development and adult education.

3. Research Policy Pillars

The research policy pillars of the Department are specified as follows:

• Promotion of basic and applied research

The primary goal is the production of scientific knowledge in cutting-edge fields of Social and Education Policy. This has led to the publication of a significant number of papers in reputable international and Greek scientific journals, volumes, and high-profile scientific conferences.

• Implementation of research and development projects

There is significant and continuous involvement of the faculty members in major European projects (e.g., Horizon, Erasmus+) and national projects (e.g., NSRF) in the fields of Social and Education Policy.

• Linking research and education

The Department's research activity is interlinked with its educational mission. There is a direct connection between doctoral studies and research in specific scientific fields through the involvement of PhD candidates in the research programs implemented by the Department. All completed or ongoing doctoral theses cover scientific topics directly aligned with the research areas addressed by the Department’s faculty and included in the curriculum. Similar links also exist in the Department's 15 postdoctoral research projects, carried out by researchers with significant and recognized research work in their fields.

• Participation in significant research networks

The Department is systematically developing collaborations with other academic institutions and research organizations in Greece and abroad in the fields of Social and Education Policy. Developing partnerships and joint activities with social organizations and partners is a strategic choice for the Department. Among its many synergies, a notable example is the cooperation memorandum with the Centre for Educational Policy Development/ General Federation of Greek Workers, which recently culminated to the  co-organization of a joint master program and several relevant lifelong learning programs.

• Promotion of scientific/ research work

The Department promotes its scientific-research work through symposia and conferences regularly organized in Corinth and in Athens. Furthermore, the faculty members participate in presentations and as members of Scientific Committees at national and international scientific conferences, promoting the Department’s external visibility and outreach.

• Research ethics

The Department's research activity is aligned with the principles of research ethics as outlined in the University of the Peloponnese Code of Ethics and Good Practice. Each research initiative within the Department adheres to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Under the responsibility of the scientific leaders, members of the research teams are informed about the adopted research ethics framework before each program begins.

4. Research Policy Goals and Design for 2020-2025

The strategic goals for the Department’s research policy in the next five years are as follows:

• Promotion of basic and applied research

  • Strategic selection of research actions in specific scientific fields of Social and Education Policy. Implementation of international research projects (e.g., Horizon 2020, Erasmus+) involving faculty members, researchers, PhD candidates, and graduate students.

  • Systematic promotion of publications in high-impact international scientific journals and volumes, and reputable national scientific journals.

• Research and development projects

  • Submission of new proposals as coordinating partners in national and international competitive research projects.

  • Participation in new research collaborations with national and international research organizations.

• Collaboration with academic institutions

  • Enhancement of existing collaborations and expansion of partnerships for research purposes in cutting-edge fields with academic institutions abroad.
    Creation of new collaborations with academic institutions and other organizations in Greece and abroad.

  • Participation in international research networks and further promotion of interdisciplinary networks and collaborations.

• Future research orientations
  • Based on the results of the Department’s research activities thus far, the experience from current collaborations, international trends, and socio-economic developments in Greece and globally, the Department is oriented toward the following research areas for the next five years:
    • Modern Social Insurance (demographic trends, migration flows, economic organization, provisions, new forms of labor markets and employment)
    • New forms of Social Policy (social economy, social entrepreneurship, civil society, corporate social responsibility)
    • Evaluation of education policies and programs (school education, higher education, lifelong learning)
    • New forms and models of educational design (linking education with social integration and the labor market, professional development of educators, digital educational materials, e-learning technologies, MOOCs).
• Support for research and research excellence

The Department has developed the necessary infrastructure and equipment to adequately support its research activities. All faculty members regularly participate in recognized inter-university research networks in the fields of education sciences, social sciences, and related policies.

It should be mentioned that certain scientific fields require specialized high-tech equipment for advancing new research directions (e.g., educational technologies for recording and studying psychophysiological data in individuals with learning disabilities, such as autism). In that respect, the Department plans to intensify the search for funding and establish new collaborations.